Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-01-07

TO mako but fow changes OF management during
the year. The several reports OF the trustees
and various officials OF these Institutions arc
submitted herewith. They are so complete Ms
TO make II unnecessary TO do more than refer
You TO- them for any information that may be
desired.
Your attention Is called particularly, however,
| TO the report OF the Board OF State Charities,
| including report made TO that board by Hon.
| John w. Andrews and Hon. r. Brnkcrhoff, act
| ing as a committee appointed by that board TO
| investigate and report as to chow TO relieve the
institutions from the pressure OF party politics.
| These gentlemen have been long identified with
charitable aud benevolent work. They have
| had much experience and great opportunity for
| fled TO speak on this subject rs any gentlemen
who can be found in our State.
| Their discussion is therefore entitled to the
| most respectful consideration. You Will find
| that they have clearly set forth their views and
supported them with cogcnt arguments,
What they say as to the proprioty OF keeping
the management OF the benevolent institutions
out of politics is fully endorsed.
| They have no relation whatever to any of the
principles, questions or policies that constitute
| political differences. Party divisions are never
made with reference TO thom, Their admins.
character ut all times They are, therefore,
capable OF being put out OF politics, as, on nc-
count oil their character, they should be.
The first question is then, whether their man.
ngement shall be political or non.politicnl. Here
there Is no halfway ground. They must and
ever Will be either In or out. II is for you to say
which 1t shall be. During late years there has
| been compromising policy pursued The prac-
| tice has been TO have boards OF an odd number
OF mcmbcrs-generally nvc-and to have n mi
nority representation OF the party not in power
OF two members. These are called mixed
boards, and there are many who seem to think
good results have been secured in this way.
This is largely n mistake. The good results
have been due more to the high character OF the
men who have held these positions OF trust.
So far rs tho "mixed' feature OF the politics
OF the board is concerned, 1t is almost II not
quite, an unmixed evil. II is good politics but
bad public service In almost every instance
fmiSmnnlrpmpnt Or nj n r.
conduct OF any Of the public institutions when
managed By boards OF this character tho minor
selves on the ground that they and their party
were not in power and therefore not rcspon-
siblc; and the majority trustees have taken
refuge behind the minority and put forth the
defense that the other party was equally at
fault because their representatives had partici-
patcd in the wrong Such were the answers
given when the recent unfortunate management
of the penitcntiary was called TO account. So
impressive an experience should not be soon
forgotten.
a careful study of this matter has resulted in
these conclusions:
l. The benevolent institutions ought to be in
dependent oil political changes in State govern
ment
. They have no relation to political issues or
differences, and may, therefore, with propriety
be made so.
D. Minority representation in mixed boards do
not accomplish this purpose. The majority will
manifest their power and always exercise II for
the benefit OF their party, and when bad results
are obtained they will hide behind the minority,
who will plead want OF responsibility.
a. The best system is non.partsan control, in
which neither party will have q majority, but
both will have equal representation and equal
responsibility.
g. This control should not be by independent
boards, but by one board OF four or six mem
bcrs TO govern all the institutions OF the State.
O. The Governor should appoint all the super
intcndents OF these institutions subject to
approval by this board; and the superintendent
of each institution should, subject to the same
approval, appoint all the subordinate officers.
m ella nlG hu.T tl,,
the Board.
Z. The Governor should be ex.onicio mem
bcr, with power to give a deciding vote in all
cases OF equal division.
This plan would fix responsibility. 1t would
secure an equal representation of both parties.
No Governor or superintendent could, II he de-
sired, unduly favor his own party in tho ap.
pointments TO be made since all must be CON
ilrmed by majority vote, and hence neces-
sarily by the vote of his political opponents rs
well rs by the votes OF his friends. II would Sc
cure more aid from the trustees than is now af-
forded to the superintendents in the manage
ment.
Under the present system we have able, well
qualified and highly honorable men in the vari-
Gus boards. But their duties rarely call them
10 their respective institutions oftener than once
n month. Their visits are generally hurried.
They have but little time to study the wants of
the institution while there. Their time, when
away, is devoted TO their own affairs. The con.
sequence is that they necessarily leave the
management very largely TO the superintcn-
dent. Fortunately, our superintendents nre all
men of high character and fitness for the posi-
tions they hold. and consequently. as matters
now stand no harm is likely TO result from this
practice.
But it would be safer and better, II you make
change, to guard against any danger on this
account. The plan recommended would do this
The concentration of the management of all
the institutions under one board would neces-
state the constant attention of the members
to their duties. The discharge of these duties
would practically become their chief occu-
patton. They would be constantly in COM
these institution They would shortly become
entirely familiar with all their details, and by
constant study and attention become wise
counsellors and efficient assistants TO the local
officials.
The objection may be made that the members
OF such board would have to be paid a salary
That does not necessarily follow. But II that be
requisite, the objection Is not serious one
Reasonable salaries would be scarcely more
expensive, II Mt all, than the present system
unde. which the State pays the expenses OF all
the many members OF the many boards. But
without regard to how that may be, the State
can well afford to pay whatever may be ncces
sary to secure the most cfiicient services that
can be commanded We have spent many mill
ions of dollars to erect our institutions, and ex
pend annually nearly g., ,OOO,OO0 to maintain them.
Such important interests should be managed and
cared for by the most capable talent, and ac
cord!ng TO the most approved business methods;
II is recommended, therefore, that II you should
conclude TO adopt the non-partisan system of
governing our benevolent institutions, you place
the government OF all under one common board
such as has been indicated.
You might with propriety confer these powers
upon the Board OF State Charities The mem
and are men OF high character, already familiar
with the work loswhich they would thus be
called.
II you see fit to make a change from the present
system, and do not adopt the recommendation
made, then there should be a non.partisan board
OF either four or six members for each institu-
tion with the superintendent empowered TO vote
in all cases OF equal division, since 1t would be
impossible for the Governor to discharge such
duty In connection with SO many boards.
IL will be noticed that what has been said re-
lates only to the benevolent institutions. The
recommendations OF the Board OF State Chari-
ties include the penal institutions also. The
principle of non.partisan management for the
benevolent institutions is approved for the
reason, among others, that not being identified
with political issues or questions, 1t is both prac
ticable and proper.
In SO far us the same reason obtains, like ap-
proyal might be given for the penal institutions.
But the reason fails when we come to the ques
tion of the management OF the Ohio penitentiary.
This institution is directly and Importantly
involved In politics. The parties have distinct
differences us 10 the way in which II should be
conducted. II continually presents to the peo
pie of the State In every canvass q question as
to the policies to be pursued, not only in utiliz
ing Its labor, but in other particulars. Aud the
one party or the other succeeds or fails In at
least some degree with reference TO that ques'
tion.
The party in power is responsible, therefore,
not only for an honest and capable management,
but for u management according TO its particu.
lur WE'VE. being tnuh TeSpOnblDlc, IL
have the control, II 1t succeeds, 1t should have
the credit and all the credit. II 1t fails, II should
have the blame, aud all OF IL. In other words, II
is true OF the Ohio Pententiary Us OF everything
else that belong in politics. When the one
party or the other is put into power
II is to be assumed that an administration is
wanted by that party, and according TO Its
policy and principles, and that party ought to
have the support that comes from thorough
political aniiiation and sympathy. When the
management becomes unsatisfactory the people
can make q change
So long, therefore, as the Ohio penItentiary
remains in politics In the sense that the parties
have defined differences as 10 its management,
so long II will be impossible, unwlse and unjust
TO the party In power TO give TO II non-partisan
government. The true policy with respect 10
this whole matter is to put out OF politics and
keep out all that does not constitute the subject
OF political differences, and 10 keep In politics
distinctly and cmphatically all that does That
which the people do not disagree about, let them
manage in common, but us TO that about which
they dispute, let that party have the manage
ment nnnn which the rCsnOnslDllltY has been